Volume 6, Number 4
Aug 1982

The Mellon Foundation

The annual reports of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation give a
picture of significant and increasing support for conservation over
the last few years. Quite reasonably, the Foundation considers
conservation a means of achieving its larger purpose, to "aid and
promote such religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and
educational purposes as may be in the furtherance of the public
welfare or tend to promote the well-doing or wellbeing of
mankind."

In support of this purpose, the Foundation "currently makes
grants on a selective basis to institutions in higher education, in
cultural affairs and the performing arts, in medical, public health,
and population research, and in certain environmental and public
affairs areas." Conservation falls in two of these categories:
higher education and cultural affairs; in short, libraries and
museums.

The various conservation programs, job openings and publications
that result from the Foundation's support are later reflected in a
number of publications as news items. From the Foundation's newly
issued 1981 annual report, here is a list of 1981 grants for
conservation.

Drawing Center, Inc., New York City, for a program of instruction
in paper conservation - $12,000

Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works, to support a pilot project of two refresher
courses for members of the American Institute for Conservation -
$15,000

Harvard University, for use by the Fogg Art Museum's Center for
Conservation and Technical Studies to strengthen its advanced-level
conservation training program - $190,000

New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown, New York, to
provide stipends for students completing their third year of
training in the Conservation of Artistic and Historic Objects
program -$ 167, 000

University of Delaware, for the Master of Science Program in the
Conservation of Artistic and Historic Objects conducted by the
University and the Winterthur Museum - $200,000

Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, for the Mellon Institute
in support of the Research Center on Materials of the Artist and
Conservator -$ 25 0, 000

Institute of Fine Arts Foundation, New York, for the Conservation
Center of the Institute of Fine Arts -$140,000; matching endowment
in support of the Conservation Center - $500,000

Intermuseum Conservation Association, Oberlin -$ 180,000

Museum of Modern Art, New York, in support of its art
conservation programs, and for its library - $1,000,000

National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, in support of the
Conservation Department and the library -$314,000

Two years previously, in 1979, Yale and the University of
Wisconsin but none of the other "Higher Education" institutions
received support for conservation. By contrast, 15 of the 24
cultural institutions listed were receiving support then. This is
consistent with the overall picture from other sources: museums do
more conservation than libraries, but libraries have started to
catch up.

The Mellon Foundation's 1979 annual report summarizes its concern
with conservation as follows:

Over the years the Foundation has recognized the need for a
coherent national program in conservation of works of art that will
provide serious training for prospective conservators, a number of
properly equipped and staffed regional treatment laboratories (to
serve museums and other institutions too small to maintain their own
services), and scientific research on basic problems of the field.
It has also recognized needs for the preservation of books and
manuscripts

In addition to providing funds for the training of some paper
conservators in [museum apprenticeship] programs, the Foundation in
1979 encouraged the Council on Library Resources to initiate a
systematic study of current practices in the manufacture of
library-quality books and of what might be done to increase use of
more durable papers and bindings. We have also begun to assist
libraries in their conservation efforts and training opportunities
in the field to determine how they might best be strengthened or
extended.

The Foundation's assets at the end of 1981 were $735,978,707.
Sometimes its staff will approach a deserving institution and offer
help, but the normal way of distributing funds is used too,
according to a statement in its annual reports:

Applications are considered throughout the year, and no special
forms are required. Ordinarily a simple letter setting forth the
need, the nature and the amount of the request and the justification
for it, together with evidence of suitable classification by the
Internal Revenue Service and any supplementary exhibits an applicant
may wish to submit, will suffice to assure consideration. Applicants
must realize, however, that the Foundation is able to respond
favorably only to a small fraction of the requests that it receives.
The Foundation does not award fellowships or other grants to
individuals or make grants to strictly local organizations.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is at 140 East 62nd Street, New
York, NY 10021.